What Others Say: Obamacare

Deadline shift doesn't signal trouble - yet

President Obama signed his ambitious health reform plan into law more than three years ago. Let's say that again: more than three years ago.

When Obama signed the law on March 23, 2010, everyone knew that all but the smallest businesses would be required to offer their employees health insurance by Jan. 1, 2014. But now, not unlike a college student who hasn't used his time wisely, the White House says it needs an extension.

Last week, the administration put off for a year the provision that requires any business with at least 50 full-time employees to provide health insurance for workers or pay a penalty of $2,000 per employee. That wasn't the first delay: Earlier this year, the White House put off another provision that would have affected the way employees could buy insurance on health exchanges.

This might just be what the White House says it is - a smart and needed pause to allow officials and businesses to refine complicated rules that govern how the mandate will work. And in at least one way it might be smart politics for Democrats. It buys temporary peace with businesses that deeply dislike the mandate and have threatened to slash workers or reduce them to part-time status to avoid the insurance requirement. The disruptive change will now kick in after next year's congressional elections.

In another way, though, the delay is an indicator of deeper troubles. Indications have been mounting for months that implementation is going to be rocky and potentially unpopular.

Even Obamacare supporters worry that the administration isn't nearly ready to meet the deadline for getting health exchanges, where people will choose their insurance, up and running by Oct. 1 and the rest of the law in place on Jan. 1. And whenever the exchanges are ready, some people are likely to see huge rate increases, particularly if young people opt to pay a $95 penalty rather than participate.

Meanwhile, Republican attempts to make the law fail are compounding the administration's shortcomings.

In practical terms, this is not the most important part of the new law. Most small businesses have fewer than 50 employees and won't be required to provide coverage.

That said, in a nation where 50 million people are without insurance, businesses - including the restaurants and retailers who have led the resistance to the employer mandate - will play an important role in the push for full coverage.

It was galling to hear their leaders cheer the delay, and it's unclear whether they'll change their tune even after their complaints about the process are resolved.